Slide Show: 10 Years of International Health Regulations

Ten years ago, in 2005, the countries of the world came together to put a new framework into place that would better prepare the world for public health emergencies. Nearly 70 percent of the world’s countries are unprepared to effectively detect, assess, report and respond to potential public health threats. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that we share a responsibility to protect ourselves – and one another – from outbreaks of infectious diseases and other health threats. Known as the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the new framework represents an agreement between 196 countries, including all World Health Organization (WHO) member states, to work together to prevent and control global health threats while protecting international travel and trade. This slide show examines why the IHR matter to the world’s health.